Disney Interactive Studios has announced that Disney Universe, a fast-paced multiplayer action adventure game, is currently in development for Mac, Windows PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii. In the game players will have the chance to play as Disney and Pixar characters and engage in quests, battle enemies, and solve puzzles in a universe populated with worlds inspired by the company's animated and live action films.

“Disney Universe is a vast treasure chest of Disney properties with memorable characters, places and experiences that gamers, as well as Disney fans will enjoy,” said Adam Sussman, senior vice president of publishing, Disney Interactive Media Group. “The fast-paced, frenetic gameplay combined with wacky humor and hilarious situations make Disney Universe the perfect game to play with family and friends.”

In Disney Universe, players will experience non-stop action through a mix-up of worlds inspired by both animated and live action films from Disney, including titles from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. Players will suit-up as iconic Disney and Disney•Pixar characters and embark on adventures to power up their hero, battle powerful adversaries and master challenging puzzles to save the universe. Disney Universe is slated for release in fall 2011.

In Disney Universe, players can select from more than 40 classic and contemporary Disney character costumes, including Alice (“Alice in Wonderland”), Mike (“Monsters, Inc.”), TRON (“TRON: Legacy”) and Stitch (“Lilo & Stitch”) to explore six different worlds inspired by legendary Disney and Disney•Pixar films. Each world will allow players to experience objectives and missions that follow Disney and Disney•Pixar movie storylines. Players will select a character-based costume, with each costume offering a specific tool that changes and grows in power as players adventure through the game. Disney Universe offers frenetic gameplay, multiplayer with up to three friends and slapstick humor that will appeal to players of all ages.

The fun will continue on with plans for Disney Universe to be an expanding universe post-launch with items for download and new content available. Additional worlds, costumes, and more will be available for purchase, giving Xbox 360 and PlayStation®3 system owners an ever-evolving gameplay experience

Disney Universe is scheduled for a Fall release. Learn more at the link below.
Disney Universe

Hothead Games has announced summer release plans for The Baconing, a new stand-alone title about the "mythology of the Bacon Fires." Hothead describes the game as a high profile comical adventure will will give players the chance to meet "some old friends and new acquaintances."

Bob from Marketing commented:

“With an epic name such as 'The Baconing' we didn’t want to detract from one of the most memorable video game names in history, so we created a trailer that shows only the title logo. This trailer explains half of the story about how we arrived at this name, the other half of this story is down to one of our loyal fans.”

The digital download version of Aspyr Media's Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Warlords is now available for purchase from Macgamestore. The expansion focuses on the late-game time periods and also offers 12 challenging and different scenarios created by the development team at Firaxis Games.

Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword focuses on the late-game time periods and delivers 12 challenging and decidedly different scenarios created by the development team at Firaxis Games. Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword includes 10 new civilizations, 16 new leaders, 5 new wonders, and a variety of new units that will offer even more fun and exciting ways for players to expand their civilization’s power as they strive for world domination.Features:

More Civ Than Ever – With a massive increase of 10 civilizations, 64 buildings, 11 scenarios, 5 wonders, 6 technologies, corporations, brand new espionage system and expanded trade routes, Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is a must-have expansion pack to the greatest strategy franchise of all time.

Scenarios: Expect the Unexpected – 11 additional scenarios include setting new worlds in Final Frontier, battling zombies in Alterword, conquering medieval Western Europe in Charlemagne, and more.

Advanced Starts – For the first-time ever, launch a game in later eras with this new frontier that allows you to purchase units, roles, improvements and technologies to start your game.

Unstoppable Corporations – Found your own corporation and spread its influence as another tool to gain control over the world.

A new Soldak Entertainment blog post offers a discussion of space craft defense mechanisms in comparison to health indicators for characters in fantasy role playing games. The post offers a bit of insight into plans for the company's upcoming sci-fi title.

Soldak's as yet untitled game is described as "Master of Orion from a mercenary captain's point of view." It will place players in a dynamic galaxy and give them to the chance to build their fortune and influence the balance of power between opposing races.

After your shields and armor are destroyed, you are in a bad position. Those were your only real defenses. Now all the damage taken is trashing your ship. Some of the damage will hit the structure of the ship. When your structure gets to zero you explode, so that's kind of bad. However, anything that doesn't hit the structure is hitting important internal structures. You know unimportant things like your engines or weapons. :) Repairing internal components will probably be much more expensive to fix.

In most fantasy games the only item you really have to worry about breaking is your weapon. Anything else really doesn't matter that much. With a space ship that's not true at all, so really close fights are going to be interesting. Lose your thrusters or engines and escape is no longer going to be a good option. Lose all of your weapons and you're screwed. Losing other important systems like your computers, cou